# <limits.h>

<head><title>&lt;limits.h&gt;</title></head>

# `<limits.h>`

* * *

Include the standard header **`<limits.h>`**
to determine various properties of the integer type representations.
The standard header `<limits.h>` is available
even in a
[freestanding implementation](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_lib_over.html#freestanding%20implementation).

You can test the values of all these macros in an
[*if* directive](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_preproc.html#if%20directive).
(The macros are
[*#if* expressions](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_preproc.html#if%20expression).)

    #define CHAR_BIT <#if expression >= 8>
    #define CHAR_MAX <#if expression >= 127>
    #define CHAR_MIN <#if expression <= 0>
    #define SCHAR_MAX <#if expression >= 127>
    #define SCHAR_MIN <#if expression <= -127>
    #define UCHAR_MAX <#if expression >= 255>
    #define MB_LEN_MAX <#if expression >= 1>
    
    #define SHRT_MAX <#if expression >= 32,767>
    #define SHRT_MIN <#if expression <= -32,767>
    #define USHRT_MAX <#if expression >= 65,535>
    
    #define INT_MAX <#if expression >= 32,767>
    #define INT_MIN <#if expression <= -32,767>
    #define UINT_MAX <#if expression >= 65,535>
    
    #define LONG_MAX <#if expression >= 2,147,483,647>
    #define LONG_MIN <#if expression <= -2,147,483,647>
    #define ULONG_MAX <#if expression >= 4,294,967,295>Copy to clipboard

## `CHAR_BIT`

    #define CHAR_BIT <#if expression >= 8>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for the number of bits used
to represent an object of type *char.*

## `CHAR_MAX`

    #define CHAR_MAX <#if expression >= 127>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for type *char.* Its
value is:

- [`SCHAR_MAX`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_limits.html#SCHAR_MAX)
if *char* represents negative values
- [`UCHAR_MAX`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_limits.html#UCHAR_MAX) otherwise

## `CHAR_MIN`

    #define CHAR_MIN <#if expression <= 0>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the minimum value for type *char.* Its
value is:

- [`SCHAR_MIN`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_limits.html#SCHAR_MIN)
if *char* represents negative values
- zero otherwise

## `INT_MAX`

    #define INT_MAX <#if expression >= 32,767>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for type *int.*

## `INT_MIN`

    #define INT_MIN <#if expression <= -32,767>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the minimum value for type *int.*

## `LONG_MAX`

    #define LONG_MAX <#if expression >= 2,147,483,647>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for type *long.*

## `LONG_MIN`

    #define LONG_MIN <#if expression <= -2,147,483,647>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the minimum value for type *long.*

## `MB_LEN_MAX`

    #define MB_LEN_MAX <#if expression >= 1>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum number of characters that constitute a
[multibyte character](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_charset.html#Multibyte%20Characters)
in any supported
[locale](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_locale.html). Its value is &gt;=
[`MB_CUR_MAX`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_stdlib.html#MB_CUR_MAX).

## `SCHAR_MAX`

    #define SCHAR_MAX <#if expression >= 127>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for type *signed char.*

## `SCHAR_MIN`

    #define SCHAR_MIN <#if expression <= -127>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the minimum value for type *signed char.*

## `SHRT_MAX`

    #define SHRT_MAX <#if expression >= 32,767>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for type *short.*

## `SHRT_MIN`

    #define SHRT_MIN <#if expression <= -32,767>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the minimum value for type *short.*

## `UCHAR_MAX`

    #define UCHAR_MAX <#if expression >= 255>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for type *unsigned char.*

## `UINT_MAX`

    #define UINT_MAX <#if expression >= 65,535>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for type *unsigned int.*

## `ULONG_MAX`

    #define ULONG_MAX <#if expression >= 4,294,967,295>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for type *unsigned long.*

## `USHRT_MAX`

    #define USHRT_MAX <#if expression >= 65,535>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the maximum value for type *unsigned short.*

* * *

See also the
**[Table of Contents](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_index.html#Table%20of%20Contents)** and the
**[Index](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/_cpp_index.html)**.

*[Copyright](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/cpp_crit_pjp.html) © 1992-2006by P.J. Plauger and Jim Brodie. All rights reserved.*

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Last Published: Oct 06, 2026

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